Their Safe Haven
by Izumi's Apprentice
Summary: Carter is having an especially difficult day, made worse by his father's inconsideration of his son's sensitivities; however, Carter finds refuge with who other than Supergirl! Well, actually Kara Danvers. Cat then invites Kara to a thank you dinner where emotions may run rampant. SuperCat.


Disclaimer: I do not own Supergirl

Author's Notes: I always seem to find the children of my favorite character's motivations interesting which is what brought about this Carter-centric. Considering it moves to Cat/Kara at the end, I may switch up the POV each chapter. And yes I know I have two on-going SuperCat fics at the moment (and another in the works...), so bear with me as I work through where to take these stories. And feel free to talk with me too!

Their Safe Haven

Carter's heart was racing as he ascended the stairs to his mother's office building, forgoing her personal private elevator for some rigorous physical activity, far too upset to stand still for the long journey to her floor. He had fled his bi-weekly dinner with his father, surprised to find another woman with him, younger even than Kara it would seem, certainly greeted him as such: short and snide, unwilling to give him time to formulate a response before making a snap judgement that he was touched in the head. Though she didn't word it as kindly, she had said he seemed retarded and when his father hadn't stood up in his defense, hadn't explained beforehand how his son was, after attempting to sit with them for a while, Carter had run away. He claimed he was going to the bathroom, then snuck out a side door, rushing through the foot traffic to a temporary sanctuary, CatCo.

It was far too early for his mother to have gone home, especially with him not expected to be home that particular night, so he knew that once he arrived and begged her to keep him this weekend, they would head home to Carter's true sanctuary. To his mother's sanctuary too, maybe even the jaunt up to the beach house despite it getting chillier every day. The sight and seclusion would be worth it, he imagined.

No one understood him. Not his father, not his teachers, not his classmates, definitely not that bimbo his father brought to dinner unexpectedly, forgetting that his own son hated schedules being usurped and changed suddenly. He needed to know in advance when he was going to meet someone new, so he could tamp down his fear and anxiety, put on a tentatively brave facade of politeness. Only his mother understood, well...she grew into understanding as she took the most time in getting to know him, to helping him cope and survive this world. She was his world, his rock, his support and when he reached her, Carter knew everything else would fall away and he would feel safe once more. He always did.

So when he reached his mother's floor, he paused to catch his breath at least to greet his mother without major concern rising immediately. He didn't want her to think that he was wounded, or had been chased, not when it was something so silly and stupid as a change in plans and his father being pathetically self-serving and self-focused once again. No, it wasn't anything serious. To the rest of the world. It was of the utmost importance to Carter though.

He clamored up from his seat on the topmost stair and opened the door, head bowed as he weaved his way through the desks and errand running employees, hoping he wouldn't be stopped and questioned as to his presence without a bag on a Friday afternoon. That was how he typically showed up after all.

Carter reached his mother's office, frowning when he saw that Winn wasn't presently at his desk to wave hello at him and when he glanced into his mother's office spied that she was also absent. He twiddled with the smooth rock in his pocket to calm his nerves a little before looking at Kara's desk. Only...Kara wasn't there. Some skinny brunette man playing a game on his phone was behind Kara's desk, all of the paraphernalia he associated with the blonde missing in action. He bit his lip and turned around, running away from the area, hardly hearing the brunette call out to him.

He didn't know how long he had run, or even where he was running, but he knew he was still on the same floor having not accessed the stairs again or an elevator. Carter found himself in a dead end of a hallway, near another set of stairs to his left and sighed in relief, stopping at the window in the middle to focus on his breathing while watching the skyline. Maybe he'd be lucky and spot Supergirl out and about. It was always amazing watching her fly and he often wondered what it would be like to float above the city, see the ocean from an entire different vantage point. Perhaps he could ask a favor of the hero next time he saw her.

"Carter?"

A yelp escaped the teen's throat as he spun to his right and spotted Kara peering curiously at him in front of an open door to an office he had never seen before. Immediately, he rushed toward her and encircled his arms around her waist, burying his face into her shoulder. Kara tensed momentarily but returned the hug, albeit a little softer than he needed at the moment, but the fact that she was there, rescuing him in a sense, was all that mattered right now.

After several moments, Carter pulled back, grateful that Kara had let him be in silence for that time. He sniffled and rubbed at his face to find that he had been crying lightly. He stared at his wet hand for a second in surprise then finished wiping the moisture away. He looked up at Kara who was smiling lightly with soft blue eyes.

"Wanna come in?" she offered kindly. He nodded and followed her into the room and sat on the couch in the alcove to the right. It was a cozy office, small without a window, but it reminded him of their game room at home and Carter was instantly comforted, most of his tension and stress easing away the longer he sat there in the corner of the couch. "Here," Kara said, offering him a bottle of apple juice. "Don't need to get dehydrated, okay?" she sat beside him, a healthy amount of space between them, watching compassionately.

Carter couldn't bring himself to say thanks but he nodded instead, unscrewing the top and taking a lovely sip of the cold drink. He cradled the drink on his knees which were held tight against his chest while he stared at the cushion between him and Kara. He took another sip and put the cover back on, placing it on the arm of the couch.

He looked up at Kara, trouble swirling in his eyes as he attempted to bring his vocal box into functioning mode once more. Again, Kara saved him the trouble with a smile. "Why don't you stay here for a while. If you need me I'll be working at my desk," she pointed unnecessarily in the direction and stood up to continue the edits she had scattered on the surface. Carter smiled back, realizing that it seemed as though Kara knew what he was going through, that she not only sympathized but that she empathized and knew what he needed.

He settled against the back of the couch and closed his eyes to relax and center his thoughts, to calm down fully and set aside the worry that kept building and building throughout that horrible day. That morning his mother had been running late and barely had the time to wish him a good day and kiss his forehead, seemingly forgetting she wouldn't see him until Monday, but it happened a lot so Carter didn't hold it against her, knowing just how straining running a multimedia company was. Then at school they were surprised with a pop quiz, which just wasn't fair because he had explained to his counselor, gotten a note for the school that pop quizzes scared him, and he was fairly certain he had failed it on pure nerves alone.

Then once again, he was alone at lunchtime and could sense the jeering at the note he received in his bagged lunch from his mother, the only communique from her today. It was a constant he appreciated and loved, enabling him to withstand the bullies' comments. Today it had said in his mother's beautiful cursive: _"Don't let the world get you down. You'll always have me"_ and it was so fitting as though she knew exactly the right words he needed.

The afternoon was typical and nauseating, more so when he continually thought of his dinner that night with his father. He much preferred eating at nondescript, out of the way places or in the privacy of a home so his anxiety was through the roof, not only because he would be away from his mother for another weekend seemingly so soon after the last with his father but because the restaurant was notoriously full of well to do folk trying to impress others. Carter carried on through the day, almost nearly forgetting to write down his homework due Monday because of his preoccupation and most certainly leaving his earbuds in his locker at school when he finally did leave.

Carter was pulled from his thoughts by an unusually shrill voice. "Kara, I need you to go find Carter, my idiot of an ex..." Cat had entered the office, following Kara's gaze to the couch and trailing off at the sight of her son. "Carter," she breathed out in relief, enveloping him when he rose to hug her tightly. "What are you doing here, sweetheart?" she asked softly, leading him back to the couch as she kneeled before him.

"I...dad brought someone to dinner. I swear she's like eighteen or something," Carter began, wringing his hands in his lap. "I...freaked out and bolted, came here cause...you know," he managed a tiny smile. Cat reciprocated, knowing his unsaid words. "Winn wasn't at his desk, you were gone and Kara wasn't at her desk, some random dude was," Carter voice pitched up as his pace quickened, a remnant of his previous fear coursing through his spine, curving it forward to seem smaller. Cat placed a comforting hand on his cheek and rubbed it with her thumb. "I don't even know where I ran, how I would get back to your office, but then Kara found me out there. Mom...why is Kara here?" he looked at her deplorably.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I promoted Kara," Cat's lip had been worried between her teeth until she spoke, having not considered the possibility of Kara's absence affecting her son so strongly, but she had expected him to spend the weekend with his father.

"Finally?" Kara looked over at them with a quirked eyebrow. "You've been meaning to promote her forever," Carter exclaimed, relief washing over him once more at knowing the full story finally.

"I'm sorry I didn't text you, Miss. Grant. I figured Carter needed some alone time and you were still in that meeting—I think anyways..." Kara caught herself, not wishing to out herself through super hearing a second time.

"It's my fault really..." Carter trailed off, the guilt palpable in his tone. Cat glanced at her downtrodden son and the already chastised Kara and shook her head.

"You two apologize far too much. If I didn't know any better, I would think you were related," Cat threw her hands in the air to emphasize her silly commentary, drawing Carter's gaze upwards along with a sly smile. Kara chuckled softly in response.

"I'd rather Kara for a parent than dad," Carter said bitterly, looking over at Kara whose face tinted red and she began to fiddle with her glasses.

"Anyone would be honored to have you as a child, Carter," Kara replied in a stilted tone, perhaps a little too formally. Cat stared at Kara dumbfounded for several moments, head tilting to the side when Carter approached her and hugged her. It was always amazing how easily Kara got along with her son and how comfortable he was around her. She was such a wonderful influence on Carter's life and Cat wished that would never change.

"Thank you, Kara," Cat rose to her feet, joining her son's side. "For everything," she imbued the words with as much meaning as possible, emotion strong in her emerald eyes. She looked at Carter briefly and nodded to the door.

"Bye Kara. Thanks for the apple juice and sitting with me," Carter said, significantly stronger than when Kara had first found him, his mood seriously improved. Kara waved back at him with a wide grin.

"Let me take you to dinner," Cat practically whispered, not wishing Carter to overhear and hardly believing she was offering this.

"What?" Kara asked looking up sharply.

Cat sighed and steeled her resolve. "Will you join me for dinner sometime soon?" she repeated.

"...Why?"

Kara's reluctance was not only infuriating but confusing considering how she consistently reacted in Cat's presence. The easy blush no matter how small the compliment, preening as though she was the prettiest peacock in all the lands, leaning in when Cat passed by too closely as though enticed by her simple scent. How often she looked towards Cat for advice both as Kara Danvers and by her alter ego, Supergirl, her furious devotion and constant defending of Cat's character. If Kara didn't have a crush on Cat, then the woman didn't deserve an award in journalism and her rise to power was for naught.

"Why not?" Cat replied in a blasé tone, fluttering her fingers as she turned swiftly to exit Kara's office. She paused before crossing the threshold however, glancing over her shoulder fondly at her former assistant. "Wear something nice," she added in a soft tone, thoroughly confounding Kara.


End file.
